The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-12-02

gave rise 10 the >&ff\ = (IAA-
thrilling railroad. zS%sa4 = EE8SNE
chase that fol-&gg(6hi ~ a. 80 MySMNA
lowed. Conduc- @f%f ~ = fs's@N.'
TOR ruler, En-, CAPT. w A. FULLER.
giheer Gam anu Prom war time photo
| the foreman of grnph)
the road machine shops, Mr.. Anthony
Murphy, sat down to the breakfast table
not far apart. Before they had tasted u
mouthful, however, the sound of escaping
steam, the loud whir of the wheels on
the track and the cutlery that rose in a
moment from guards and camp, brought
them and all the breakfasters to their
feet. BY this time the locomotive had
started, and Fuller and Murphy, with
loud EXPLANATIONS about the robbery of
the train, rushed pcll nell with every
body else out on the platform, the
passengers who had been uncoupled and
| Left on the road not being behind others
in their complaints and uproar The
whole camp also was in turmoil. A
! single glance around showed Fuller that
| there was no chance for help there; and
being man of quick thought his mind
| fastened on an idea-utterly wrong rs it
| proyed--but which had the merit Of put
ting him vigorously to work The near
est guard declared that only four men
were engaged in the capture-he had only
seen those that mounted the engine--and
| others corrob0rated him. Fuller remem-
| bered the conscripts he had been warned
| to watch for, and at once the thought
| flashed across his mind "Some of those
men, one of whom happened to know
enough OF an engine TO pull open the
throttle, have jumped on my train TO get
out of camp, and as soon rs they are out
side they will leave the engine and run
into the mountains. / must follow as
fast as possible and try to get it back be-
fore get very badly out of time"
The presence of Mr.. Anthony Murphy
that morning was purely accidental. He
was going to examine an engine at ALA
tOona reported out of order. Asan officer
of high authority on the road, command
ing all engineers and flremen, knowing all
the engines and everything about the road
perfectly, his presence at that time was
most unfortunate for us. TIe was man
Of great GOODNESS and good Judgment. His
first action was far-sighted. He sent Mr..
William Kendrick on horseback to Mari
eta to notify the superintendent at At
lanta by wire. Mr.. Kendrick arrived i'm
time to hold freight train there till
orders were flashed back to drop all cars
but one, run up to Big Shanty, lond on
soldiers and pursue with MI speed. This
was the first train in chase. A message
was also sent from Marietta to Richmond,
but no result followed that. My opinion
is that Andrews had in some way ar.
ranged for cutting the wire between Chat
tanooga and Knoxville, which was the
only route by which the message could
have gone around and got on the line Of
the Western and Atlantic railroad ahead
of us.
Had these been the only measures of
pursuit-wise and judicious as they were
our task would have been easy. Bnt
Fuller's error and his ardent tempera-
ment prompted to another course. He
had called Murphy and Cain, Come on
with me-" they promptly followed and
the three of them started at q dead run up
The track. The spectacle of three men
running vigorously after flying engine,
rs If they expected to catch it, instantly
restored the mob to good humor, and
they cheered and shouted with laughterl
What would have been the fate of these
runners il they had overtaken us at the
first stop, where we cut wire and OBJ
structed the track, it is needless to in
quire. They would have hardly begun
such chase had they not entirely under
estimated our number, as we'll as mis-
taken our purpose. The Atlanta Southern
Confederacy of the next day, in an article
full of panic, written before the issue was
determined, speaks of us as ''somc four
men yet unknown"
The different running powers Of the
pLrsuerS were soon made evident in this
apparently hopeless chase. Fuller was
extraordinarily fleet and of great endur-
ance. His companions were equally
jealous but less able for running. They
fhNrpfnra far
considerable distance. While putting in
his best efforts, Fuller shouted back Ell.
enlargement to his comrades, but did not
wait. The hope of getting his train soon
was too strong, and he also feared that
the reckless men who had taken it might
do some injury to the engine before he
could come up. The idea that they might
offer any resistance did not enter his
mind.
But the chase could not long have con-
tinued in this manner, for human muscles
cannot be pitted successfully against
steam. The labored breath and the de-
creasing pace of the runners showed that
they were well nigh exhausted; and as
curve after curve was rolinded-for with
the instinct of railroad men they clung to
the track-they grew discouraged; but
just before their ''second wind" was cx-
liUSlttl, tHcy DtJD Hcip uUu
newed excitement. They came to Moons
station, some two miles from the place of
starting, and have never been abe to make
even plausible conjecture of the time
consumed in this first stage of the jour
ney; but it is certain that it was just as
little as straining muscles and iron could
well make it.
Here they learned from the track laying
party that some Of their tools had been
borrowed" and short distance beyond
some ties placed on the track and the
telegraph cut. This was our first halt,
and the track had been obstructed that
train coming from Atlanta might be him
dered The pursuers here found hand
cap-not one of the elaborate machine
cars, which may he driven ut great speed,
but what Fuller termed "pole car" II
was Mt once pressed into service and gave
a welcome nest. Fuller ran it back lit
tie way and picked up his companions,
who were behind, then drove forward rs
fast as the construction of the car would
II n N